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It’s time to winterize your plumbing!

There’s a nip in the air, Jack Frost is decorating your windshield in the mornings, and your kids are leaving lists of toys they’d like in conspicuous places around the house.

It’s time to winterize that plumbing! As the temperatures drop, the odds of a leak go up — unless you’ve taken the necessary precautions to protect your precious pipes.

When are your pipes most vulnerable to freezing damage? When temperatures drop to 20 degrees or below. A thicker layer of insulation around your pipes should help protect them. Be sure to insulate any pipes in unheated areas, such as crawlspaces. It’s also important to seal crawlspace vents and stuff insulation over crawlspace openings.If the temperature is predicted to drop below 20 degrees overnight, you should open sink-base cabinet doors along exterior walls. This will enable more heat to reach the pipes. It can also help to turn faucets on enough to create a slow, steady drip. This will eliminate pressure which can build up between the faucet and ice blockage. This way, even if a pipe freezes, it may not burst.

Don’t forget the plumbing on the outside of your house when you’re winterizing, since these are often the source of frozen, busted pipes. Disconnect and store your garden hoses. If you have a separate shut-off for external faucets, turn that off. After doing so, turn on those outdoor faucets to allow the water to drain, which will release the pressure in your pipes and prevent problems.

If you’re planning to be gone for several weeks over the winter, don’t make the mistake of turning off the heat. Make sure you set the temperature to at least 55 degrees. The same goes for a vacation home; if you’re closing it up for the winter, it may be worthwhile to shut off the water and drain the pipes completely.

Crawling under your house to fix a busted pipe is a pain, but our friendly, reliable techs are available to do just that if you need us. We offer 24-hour emergency service. Call us if you have an emergency leak, during nights, weekends and the dead of winter. We’ll get one of our friendly, licensed techs out to your home to fix it fast.

The Dauenhauer Difference

You'll love your tech. Learn what makes Dauenhauer your best area plumbing choice.See the difference

Bob Lofton was prompt friendly knowledgeable and honest.

He gave me a very fair estimate compared to your competition. I have already called back for Bob's help with another issue and will use him whenever the need arises. I have already shared his name and Dauenhauer plumbing with family and friends.

M.J.

Your plumber in this particular job did a fantastic job.

He did a job for us a few months ago and did fantastic then as well. We use your service solely because of him.

Samuel & Trina Johnson

Matt was great.

He was so caring and informative. He was neat and cleaned up after installing the new toilet.

H.M.

I liked my plumber Tim.

I felt like he explained my repair options and gave me an honest reasonable price. I would recommend Dauenhauer plumbing to my friends and family.

Crystal Fisher

Dependability. Quality. Professionalism.

Cotton the plumber who came out was a true professional. Long time in the business. I appreciate his attention to detail and value plus service.

R.D.

Tank-less and Solar Water Heaters: Are They Right for You?

Tank-less and Solar Water Heaters: Are They Right for You?

For many years, you had two basic choices when it came to water heaters? Gas or electric.

In recent years, two new advancements in water heater technology have come on the scene: tankless (also known as on-demand) and solar water heaters.

Both these new technologies have been spurred by interest in creating a greener, more energy-efficient water heaters. Because a tankless water heater doesn’t store water, it doesn’t have to keep the water at a certain temperature or reheat it constantly while it’s in the tank waiting to be used. However, if you’re considering a tankless water heater, you should know that they are quite a bit more expensive than traditional water heaters. While they are more energy-efficient, it’s unlikely that the efficiency savings will add up to the difference in cost over the life of the unit.

That said if you are serious energy conservationist, and your main reason for wanting a tankless is simply to use less energy, it might be worth it to you. Also, a big benefit of tankless water heaters is that they really do heat water “on demand,” so you’ll never again face the uncomfortable experience of running out of hot water in the middle of a shower.

Solar water heaters are another exciting new technology that might make sense in sunny Arizona, but might not pay off as you would hope here in the Ohio Valley. A solar water heater is not intended to entirely replace a traditional gas or electric water heater. Instead, a solar water heater is made to supplement your hot water usage with water heated naturally in solar panels mounted on your roof. Solar water heaters can dramatically reduce the energy cost of heating water, but they won’t eliminate it.

Do you have questions about upgrading your water heater to a more advanced type? Call Dauenhauer, any hour. We’ll help you calculate the replacement or installation cost and compare it against your potential energy savings to see if it makes sense for you.

The Dauenhauer Difference

You'll love your tech. Learn what makes Dauenhauer your best area plumbing choice.See the difference

Bob Lofton was prompt friendly knowledgeable and honest.

He gave me a very fair estimate compared to your competition. I have already called back for Bob's help with another issue and will use him whenever the need arises. I have already shared his name and Dauenhauer plumbing with family and friends.

M.J.

Your plumber in this particular job did a fantastic job.

He did a job for us a few months ago and did fantastic then as well. We use your service solely because of him.

Samuel & Trina Johnson

Matt was great.

He was so caring and informative. He was neat and cleaned up after installing the new toilet.

H.M.

I liked my plumber Tim.

I felt like he explained my repair options and gave me an honest reasonable price. I would recommend Dauenhauer plumbing to my friends and family.

Crystal Fisher

Dependability. Quality. Professionalism.

Cotton the plumber who came out was a true professional. Long time in the business. I appreciate his attention to detail and value plus service.

R.D.